Underrated Small Countries in HWW - 1939

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    • Underrated Small Countries in HWW - 1939

      Who is your favorite "Underdog" to use in Historic World War - 1939 maps? (<70*) 28

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      I've read several threads about HWW games and enjoy everyone's points of views on the most effective nations to play. Personally, I really enjoy the idea of starting as an underdog and rising through the ranks! Currently I'm playing as South Africa. My starting units and level of research were obviously not impressive, but there's tons of opportunity to build a solid economy. My economy is booming and the Allies Doctrine makes it very easy to catch up with research and pump out high-quality units. South Africa definitely starts out as an isolationist country, but by the time I'm in striking distance of Europe, I'm sure I'll be competitive with whoever is left up there.

      What's your favorite "little guy" to start with?
      The elephant is the only land mammal that cannot jump.

      The post was edited 1 time, last by one_leaf ().

    • Carking the 6th wrote:

      Turkey and Netherlands need to be added. I especially like Turkey as you can stay neutral and suddenly attack with a strong force while everyone is busy.

      edit:just read that said less than 70…
      I feel the Netherlands bridges the gap between big and small. It is 100 VP's which I'd put as the cutoff point.
      By WWII it was a fading empire, but still produced a lot of oil and importantly almost as much India rubber as Malaya (in-game, it's mostly oil). During the war, especially in the Far East, it was also fairly significant, albeit not as much as Britain or the US.
      I would not call it small, but not exactly a great power either.
      Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.
      — Marshal Foch

      A pretty mechanical toy [...] the war will never be won by such machines.
      — Lord Kitchener, on tanks

    • Lord Crayfish wrote:

      Carking the 6th wrote:

      During the war, especially in the Far East, it was also fairly significant, albeit not as much as Britain or the US.

      What exactly do you mean by that? It was overrun by the Japanese in the first two or three months after Pearl Harbor, during their great push South... didn't put up much of a fight except for one lost cruiser battle. How do you think it was significant?
      When the fake daddies are curtailed, we have failed. When their roller coaster tolerance is obliterated, their education funds are taken by Kazakhstani phishers, and their candy bars distributed between the Botswana youth gangs, we have succeeded.
      - BIG DADDY.

    • K.Rokossovski wrote:

      What exactly do you mean by that? It was overrun by the Japanese in the first two or three months after Pearl Harbor, during their great push South... didn't put up much of a fight except for one lost cruiser battle. How do you think it was significant?

      Resources made it significant. Prior to war, the Netherlands placed an embargo in oil and other strategic materials on Japan along with the British Empire and USA in the ABCD Line.
      Being the objective of the Japanese by being a valuable colony was in itself significant. It was desire of European, including Dutch, colonies that led Japan to attack the US Pacific Fleet on 7 December, as part of widespread actions in the Far East.

      Considering the Philippines lasted five months and Malaya, even with Singapore, only two, three months isn't bad. That's just in the Far East, Metropolitan France fell within six weeks.

      As for purely military significance, it is true that the Dutch were not as significant as the British or US. That said, Dutch forces, continued the war against Japan as part of ABDAcom and later.
      • The ML-KNIL was comparable in size to the RAF in Malaya or the US air forces in the Philippines. There were 85,000 KNIL troops in the NEI in 1940, less than the British or US but still significant. They were in the process of buying M2 & M3 tanks and replacing their B-10 bombers. As for the KM, a pocket battleship/battlecruiser was planned.
      • The KNIL slowed the Japanese advance down in both Timor and the Vogelkop, requiring disproportionate retribution and blunting the Japanese land offensive before it reached Kokoda.
      • Several counter-offensives were also made by NEFIS after the Japanese invasion.
      • At least four squadrons of the ML-KNIL evacuated and were attached to the RAAF, operating American Kittyhawks, Catalinas, and other 'planes in missions including the bombing of Soerabaja, heavy damage to Isuzu allowing sinking by USN submarines.
      Source: Otto Cramwinckel, The Netherlands and Australia: Two Hundred Years of Friendship (1988), ISBN 907 189 4053
      Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.
      — Marshal Foch

      A pretty mechanical toy [...] the war will never be won by such machines.
      — Lord Kitchener, on tanks

      The post was edited 2 times, last by Lord Crayfish ().

    • Have played 2 games of HWW, both as British India.

      First game I attacked Tibet. It was a pain. The mountainous terrain makes it harder to move units and Tibet's AI seems to be fairly good at defensive production. But the country is also very tempting to conquer due to its closely located Urban cities. All in all an extremely infuriating experience.

      In the Second game, which I am playing right now. I used it as a buffer against Nationalist China and Japan. Japan invaded Tibet and it took them two whole days just to conquer that country. Tibet spamming Anti Air and Anti Tank caused a lot of trouble for Japan too I guess. All in all, I dont wish to go against Tibet until I dont have a major threat and maybe nothing else to conquer.

    • As Crayfish said, Indonesia was gargantuan and had an unimaginably large amount of resources. It was a far more important holding than you can imagine, more important to the war then the Lowlands. It was the equivalent of the India to the UK. Japan during the war heavily required resources like rubber and oil, and Indonesia was a major site used to gather these, since the mainland had little. Once Japan lost it, along with Malaysia and the Philippines, another nail to the already finished coffin was added.

      CarKing the 6th of the Abrahamic Caliphate

    • Femto02 wrote:



      First game I attacked Tibet. It was a pain. The mountainous terrain makes it harder to move units and Tibet's AI seems to be fairly good at defensive production. But the country is also very tempting to conquer due to its closely located Urban cities. All in all an extremely infuriating experience.
      Tibet is OP if used right. I built lots of paratroopers and commandoes, artillery, and lvl.4 armoured cars, then took all of India and China within 30 hours. Artillery and commandoes are excellent in the terrain actually.
      Capturing Sinkiang is easy enough on day 1-3, and a weak Nationalist China and/or India makes it a lot easier.
      Also a good buffer zone for India or China.
      Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.
      — Marshal Foch

      A pretty mechanical toy [...] the war will never be won by such machines.
      — Lord Kitchener, on tanks

    • Lord Crayfish wrote:

      Femto02 wrote:

      First game I attacked Tibet. It was a pain. The mountainous terrain makes it harder to move units and Tibet's AI seems to be fairly good at defensive production. But the country is also very tempting to conquer due to its closely located Urban cities. All in all an extremely infuriating experience.
      Tibet is OP if used right. I built lots of paratroopers and commandoes, artillery, and lvl.4 armoured cars, then took all of India and China within 30 hours. Artillery and commandoes are excellent in the terrain actually.Capturing Sinkiang is easy enough on day 1-3, and a weak Nationalist China and/or India makes it a lot easier.
      Also a good buffer zone for India or China.
      Only problem is the horror of an active Chinese, Japanese and/or Indian player. They will usually ally and rarely let those small countries live.

      CarKing the 6th of the Abrahamic Caliphate

    • Carking the 6th wrote:

      Noo Crayfish! Use country colors! Noo!!!
      I use it to play, if a lot of allies/enemies to pay attention to.
      To sit back and watch the map, I prefer the relations map.
      Think of it like edit/view renders in CAD.
      Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.
      — Marshal Foch

      A pretty mechanical toy [...] the war will never be won by such machines.
      — Lord Kitchener, on tanks

    • Lord Crayfish wrote:

      Carking the 6th wrote:

      Noo Crayfish! Use country colors! Noo!!!
      I use it to play, if a lot of allies/enemies to pay attention to.To sit back and watch the map, I prefer the relations map.
      Think of it like edit/view renders in CAD.
      I guess in my case I just can memorize my enemies and Allies somewhat, so it ends up being easier for me. Makes sense that some people would actually need to see their relations with color lol.

      CarKing the 6th of the Abrahamic Caliphate

    • Carking the 6th wrote:

      Turkey and Netherlands need to be added. I especially like Turkey as you can stay neutral and suddenly attack with a strong force while everyone is busy.

      edit:just read that said less than 70…
      I hear that, however, the strength of the Netherlands (early on) is completely reliant upon favorable relations in Europe.

      I'm playing through as Netherlands right now and even after what I thought to be a clever/even comical attempt to seek mercy from Germany, I was stomped. Without the oil production and core city manpower I'm easily the weakest playable country economy-wise. Luckily, I've been able to secure good relations about everywhere else in the world minus the traditional axis players.

      I haven't attempted a playthrough as Turkey yet. It's on the to-do list though.
      The elephant is the only land mammal that cannot jump.